berezny



Jan. 31, 1956 M. N. BEREZNY 2,732,846

AUTOMATIC CAR SPRAYING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 22. 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 31, 1956 M. N. BEREZNY 2,732,846

AUTOMATIC CAR SPRAYING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 22. 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 6 7 e9 90 n JQz/ezr:

United States Patent 2,732,846 AUTOMATIC CAR SPRAYING APPARATUS Mischa N. Berezny, Huntington Park, Calif.

Application November 22, 1952, Serial No. 322,069

21 Claims. (Cl. 134-45) shielding the attendant from having blownonto him the spray delivered by the apparatus. l

Also, it is a'specific object of the invention to'provide an improved door structure, automatically operated by advancing cars-to turn on and off the spray, said door structure being of a character which safeguards marring" the portions of the car which contact with them.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the drawings, wherein is shown a reduced to practice embodiment of the invention, now in use in the trade,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved mechanism, with parts shown in transverse section, operatively associated with an automoble in the process of being washed.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section, the plane of which is indicated by line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device, shown on a larger scale, a portion being broken away to disclose underlying structure. 7

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal cross section, the plane of section being indicated by line 4-4 in Fig. 2. n

Fig. 5 is arfront elevationalview with parts broken away to disclose structure otherwise hidden from view, the

foundation being' shownin section, and'fragrne'nts of the hood in phantom lines. I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, somewhat diagrammatical view of the control valves and piping, with portions of some of the valves broken away to disclose interior construction.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, enlarged front elevational viewof the spray stand pipe shown at the left in Fig. 5, parts beingshqwn'in vertical'midsection.

Fig. 8 is a complete, right hand side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 5, this structure being duplicated on the opposite side of the rack.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, transverse sectional detail on a plane superjacent one of the nozzles shown at the left in Fig. 5.

Fig. 10 is a right hand elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 9, only a fragment of the pipe being shown.

Fig. 11 is aveitical section on line 11-11 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is an extended elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 11 with a plurality of washers having different sized aPeYwYeS: P p ctively shown plurality of pipe sections 32 with intervening Ts 33, two,

' be found also in some other views.

2,732,846 Patented Jan. 31, 1956 Referring to the drawings and speaking first of generalities, in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 is shown a raised trackway 13 which guides the wheels of the car 14 being washed. The car is towed by the endless moving chain 15 mounted in the channel 16 formed in the concrete floor 17, a suitable connection 18 being provided in the present instance to connect the bumper 19 of said car to the slow moving chain 15. I which the vehicles pass during the washing operation.

. There may be two or more shower racks. The one shown in the drawings is generally designated 22. They are spaced at intervals longitudinally of said walls, and

the car being washed passes through them. The firstof these racks through which the cars pass is for the initial washing operation to remove foreign matter such as sand, grit, dust and dirt in general. The second is to remove the soapy coat manually or automatically applied between racks, and the third or last spray rack, when three are used, is utilized for the rinsing operation, which; immediately precedes the drying operation effected; by

the blowers 23 and 24 as the car emerges from the hood,

generally designated 25, which includes within its .angle the spray delivery means at its side of said trackway.

The description of the shower rack 22 will in the main be directed to Figs. 5-8, although portions thereof will Starting with Fig. 8 itwill be seen that the vertical shower pipes at the right and left side of the rack are composed of a plurality of pipe sections 30 with intervening check valves 31, and the overhead horizontal shower pipe is composed of a of the latter pipe sections being joined together by a coupling 34, Us 35 connect the upper ends of said vertical shower pipes to the horizontal shower pipe and thusly this portion of the wash rack will be seen to consist of a conduit simulating that of a large inverted rectangular U.

Each lower limb section 30 of the U is threaded into one end of a T 36, the opposite end of each T having one end of a section of pipe 37 screwed thereinto. The opposite end of each pipe 37 is screwed into a circularly flanged plate 38 which, in turn, is secured to the foundation floor 17. I

Into the lateral outlet of each T 36 is screwed a nipple 39 which, inturn, is=connected to one end of a standard Hytrol .valve 40. The opposite ends of each of said valves '40 have screwed into them a nipple 41 at its side of the rack 22.

At the right side of the rack a horizontal 'inp n 41 connects with an L 42 into the horizontally positioned outlet of which is screwed a vertical pipe 43 which parallels the check valve or spray conduit composed of pipe 50, but which also has a lateral outlet which-connects sections 30 and check valves 31.

It will be seen in Fig. 8 that pipe 43. extends to the height of the check valve conduit where an L 44 connects the latter to a horizontal overhead pipe 45, which also parallels the overhead spray conduit which unites the two limbs of the aforesaid U.

In Fig. 5 said pipe 45 is shown broken away so as to,

expose two of said T's 33, coupling 34, -L 35, and the vertical pipe 43 is broken away so as to expose the top check valve 31. Breakingaway pipes 43 and 45 as stated exposes a portion of pipe 46 which vents the Hytrol.

valve 40, the latter vent pipe also paralleling the check valve conduit in a spaced relation thereto as shown in Figs. 5 and 8. Y

Now continuing with pipe conduit 45, it will further be seen in Fig. 5 that the end of this pipe opposite its connection with L 44 is joined to an L 47 which also has screwed into it one end of the vertically extending pipe 48. Pipe 48 has its other end screwed into a fitting 49- which not only connects with the main water supply pipe with the nipple '41 as shown in Fig. 4. Thus it'will be In Fig. l walls 20 and 21 are shown betweenseen the supply-conduit composed of pipes 4-3, 45 and 43 also parallels the aforesaid vent conduit and check valve spray conduit and is located in a spaced relation to said vent conduit as shown in Fig. 8. r

The reason for this duet or branch feed water supply will be evident when it is pointed out that pipe 32 has a plug 52 in it and that pipe 30 has 'a plug 53 in. it so-that it is necessary toprovide a how of water to feed the three check valves at the'left, the three Ts at the top of Fig.

a well as the three check valves in the vertical spray conduit on the right of Fig, 5, no water being necessary to fill the dead conduit space between plugs. The presence of the plug -3 superjacen-t to the check valve 31 renders the latter functionally useless, but said valve is used in order to avoid cutting dilferent pipe lengths on each side of the inverted U-shapedstructure, maintain symmetry, and to provide a support for the nozzle carried by said check valve without adding an extra fitting and without altering the pipe section in which the plug is located to provide a level top run in the piping. The presence of said plug 53, in the combination of the two short verti'cal'pi'pes and the long overhead pipe keeps air outof the pipe line and prevents a back and forth surge of the water in the piping.

Taking up again the U-shaped' spray rack conduit it will be seen that three spray nozzles 60 are provided for the vertical limb of the U on the left, three spray nozzles 60 for the vertical limb of the U on the right and three spray nozzles 6i for the horizontal runof the U.

The mounting of the nozzles 60 on the right and left limbs of' the U are the same and may be seen most clearly in Fig. 7 and in larger detail in Figs. 9l2. Also the construction of the check valve 31 and nozzle 61 are clearly set forth in said figures to which the following description applies.

The check valve 31 is a standardcheck valve with the exception that the lateral outlet 65 has been added for the purposeof screwing into it the nipple '66. Said nipple has a pipe thread end 67 which screws into the outlet'65 of the check valve and a pipe thread end 68 which has screwed onto it the securing means 69, which firmly attaches the nozzle 60 to said end 68;

In order to make the joint between the nozzle and nipple leakproof agasket 70 is provided adjacent the nipple, and a gasket '71 is provided adjacent the mouth of the nozzle; and in order to providefor spray to be delivered through'thc aperture 7-2 of the nozzle with different intensities, washers 73, 74 and 75 having different sized apertures are selectively interposed between said gaskets 7d and 71.

To facilitate making the aforesaid joint leakproof, the internally threaded tubular nut 69 has aninternally' directed annular flange 76 which grips an external circumferential flange 77 around the mouth of the nozzle 6% as the. nut 69 is advanced into its secured relation with the nipple 66.

- It will. be noted in Fig. l-l that the nozzle 60 consists of an enlarged cone shaped body which is bent through substantially a right angle with thetipof the cone. directed upwardly and inwardly of the U in the mounted position. Also in the mounted position of said nozzle, the lowest aperture 80 of the plurality of apertures 72 lies in a horizontal plane which is spaced above the level of'the. valve seat 83in the check valve, so that when'the liquid supply is shut ofi all the water that could be lost will be that. which occupies the upturned portion of the nozzle above the hole 80 after the valve 84 has automatically moved to its sealing relation with itsv seat 83.

Referring to certain other details of structure, which aid in maintaining the arrangement of the triple U-shaped feed piping 48, 45, 43, vent pipe 46 and spray rack 22' in parallelism, there is provided a tie pl'ateor strip 90 to the ends of which are fastened similar clamps 91'which,

as viewed'in Fig. 8, embrace pipes 43 and 3 0 on the right 4 i A clamp 93 secured to said plate 90 also secures the vertical ru-ns-of pipe 46-at each side-oi the rack in fixed position.

The mounting of the nozzles 61 on the overhead, horizontal shower pipe composed of pipe sections 32 consists in using certain fittings to provide for maintaining the sections full of water and at the same time bring about a more effective spray directed downwardly on the tops of moving cars, rather than. the way they are arranged on the sides. To accomplish this purpose the lateral openings of the Ts 31.3 are each placed at. a forward, upward inclination and, as is. seen in Figs. 5 and 8, have screwed into each of them a street L 86'. L 86, in turn, has screwed into it: a similar. L 87'-v IntO h L 87 is, in turn, screwed a nipple S3, and onto nipple 38 is screwed the tubular securing means 69 which attaches the nozzle 61 in its mounted position. Nipple 88, being the same construction as nipple 66 shown in. Fig. ll, and nozzle 61 being the same as nozzle 60, also shown in Fig. 11, no further description is necessary to makev it. clear how the nozzles 61 are secured in their mounted position with respect to nipples 88'.

There are several. advantages resulting from a. conduitchecl'c valve-nozzle construction of the above described character. Important among these are, the conservation of water in arid areas, the saving, in. timev resulting from having a device which functions immediately when turned on, and the ability to turn out a greater number of washed cars in a given time. This peculiar mounting and assembly to provide a more eliicient cleansing of the top portion of the advancing car being washed will be more clearly understood when it is. further pointed out that the tangential impact of. thev water gives a better scrubbing action, and also there. will be less likelihood of the overhead nozzles being contacted by carsv whose height is above normal limits.

In Fig. 1' it. will be noted that there is located at each side of the shower rack one ofthe aforesaid valves 46, and that in Fig. 6 the. eonstructionof this valve is. shown. Since,.as aforestated, this valve-is aconventional standard valve no detail description need be given here except to statethat the manner in which it functions will be elaboratedi'upon later the description of the operation.

' of one cross fitting 95 at one side of therack has screwed into it one vertical limbof the U vent pipe. 46, and arm 99 of the. other cross fitting S5. at theother side of the rack has screwed into it the other vertical limb. of the U. pipe 46. The. fourth arm 15'0- ot the cross fitting. connects with. a pipe 191,. in. turn, connected to a. standard shut off valve, 102; operated byhandle. Hi3. Valve lill has screwed into it one end of a pipe E04; which is connected to a standard, normally closed pressure valve 105. whosenormally closed chamber 196 is in'constant com munication with. said pipe 104, and whose normally seated valve 107, under stress of spring ms, hasv a valve stem 109..protruding from the valve casing and operable by pressure from. without to depress the. valve. 167 against the opposition of the spring 618.. to open the valve and permit liquid to. eontinuouslyflow from the vent plug 110 in the valve during the interim the-valve 107 is held open. 1

Venting valve in the manner aforestated relieves the pressure against the diaphragm 1'12 caused by neutralization of the water pressure in pipe 98 from the main supply through condui'tti, and allows the. diaphragm to elevate vorunseat the valveilli p'ermitting flow into pipe 39'so'jlong as the plungenvalvefltl'l remains oft its seat. as. afresult of pressureapplied against the stem 109,

of the spray rack and pipes 48 and 30' on the leftside. 75 and some of the water fiowing .into valve. 40 is deviated through pipe 9 8 and-out through the aperture 114 in the vent plug 110. The vent pipe 46, which has already been mentioned, relieves the air pressure above the diaphragms of the Hytrol valves 40, being connected to each of these valves as shown in Figs. 6 and 8. This pressure relief is eifected through the medium of the vent 114 (see Fig. 6), when a door of the vehicle being sprayed presses on the plunger 109. When said diaphragms are thus released flow of water to the spray assembly takes place through the medium of nipples 41 and 39.

In order to permit the passage of cars through the spray rack 22 without the spray being automatically turned on, as for example when the top of the car was down, the handle 103 may be manually turned to close valve 102 and prevent spray action when the plunger is depressed. The mechanism for automatically operating valve 105 will now be set forth in detail.

Two swingable doors 120, 121'are providedwhich are automatically opened by the cars to be washed as they enter the shower rack when being propelled by the slow moving tow mechanism 15. The door indicated 120 depresses the plunger 109 during the opening of the latter door to set the spray rack in operation through the me: dium of the pivoted arm'122. Said arm is pivoted to bracket 123 to swing in a horizontal plane in which the plunger lies so as to be contacted thereby atthe time the bumper 19 starts opening the doors.

Pivoted arm 122 is bowed and somewhat resilient. It has a free end portion contactable by mechanism, later to be described, which immediatelystarts to depress it and place stress in the spring arm 122 as soon as the door starts opening;

Bracket 123 is secured to the vertical flange 125 of a rightangularly flanged bracket whose horizontal limb is numbered 126, said flange 125, in turn, being secured to the aforementioned shield or hood 25 which encloses the shower rack 22 on all sides except the one facing the passage along which the car moves.

Horizontal limb 126 of the latter mentioned bracket pivotally supports the lower end of the post 128 to which the door120 is secured by a plurality of bolts 129, the upper end of said post being turnably mounted in the horizontal flange 130 of a right angle bracket whose vertical limb 131 is secured tothe hood'25 in a vertically spaced relation to the already mentioned rightangular bracket whose vertical limb is numbered 125. A tension spring 132 assists in restoring the door 120 to normal position, and a chain 133 limits the swing of the door in opposition to the pull of said spring.

The aforementioned mechanism which depresses said spring arm 122, and, in turn, the plunger 109, consists of a wheel carried bracket 135 secured to the door post 128 in such a manner that as soon as the door starts inswinging the roller 136 contacts the inner bowed face of the, arm 122. The pivot of the arm 122 and the pivot of the post 128 of the door 120 are located in such a position relative to each other that the more the door 120 is swung in, the more the arm 122 is unbowed until the plunger 109 is fully depressed whence further inswinging of the door only sets. up additional stress in the arm 122.

, Door 121 functions similarly to door 120 except that it does not operate anypressurevalve' in its movementg lt 'is,'ho'wever, provided with a chain and spring similar to the chain 133 and the spring 132 of door 120. It also has upper and lower supporting brackets 140 similar to bracket 130, 131, and a collar 141 surrounding the door post 128 and carried by the lower'bracket supports door 121 in its journalled relation with the latter brackets. The hood or shield casing 25 is a dual, V-shaped,

open topped framework with the mouth of each V directed toward the vertical limbs of the shower rack 22. The sides 150 of the Vs face the direction in which the car 14 is approaching and extends in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said car, while the sides 151 extend at an acute angle therefrom. Sides are joined together at their tops by a panel 152 and sides 151 are joined together at their tops by a panel 153. Cross channel ties 154,'preferably three in number, connect panels 152 and 153 together as shown in Fig. 3 to stabilize the open-topped structure.

The hood 25 as a whole extends somewhat above the height of the shower rack and is secured in its upright position by angle irons 156 and 157 suitably secured to the framework and to the foundation on which the hood rests.

As seen in Fig. 1 the sides 150 and 151 forming the V framework have their free edgesinturned to provide reinforcing flanges 158 and 159, respectively, to serve as a further stabilizer for the hood. Said flanges substaniially aline with the intake ends of the nozzles 60.

The hood 25 not only serves for a shield for the spray rack as a whole, but it also provides a mount for the rubber doors 120 and 121 which prevent scratching of the cars as they contact them during their automatic opening by entering cars, and the same is true of the elastic panel doors 160 and drop curtain 161 operated by cars when leaving the hood.

The flexible doors 120 and 121 further protect workmen from being wetted by the spray while the blowers 23 and 24 are being operated to dry the car as it emerges from the hood, and the side panel doors 160 also aid in preventing the spray from the nozzles from being diverted from its normal path.

Usually two spray assemblies are provided for each car wash rack. The first spray assembly is used for precooling and initially removing foreign matter'from thecar. The second spray assembly is for the final rinse. This pre-cooling is necessary when cars come in from the hot desert air and are additionally heated by the motor because they are then so hot that if the detergent is applied to them in that condition it has an injurious effect on the paint and gives the cars a streaked appearance, but pre-cooling of the cars prevents discoloring of the paint.

Between these two operations the car is soaped and washed by hand by an attendant at each side of the car. However, in some instances the latter operation is performed mechanically by rotating brushes or other mechanical methods in which soap or a detergent is supplied with the washing liquid. The intermediate spray assembly could also be supplied with impregnated detergent. Nothwithstanding the final rinse is made by the final spray rack and although there is the same functioning by all the spray assemblies, the following description is particularly directed to the final rinse since here the blowers are introduced into the operation of drying the car.

'When'the last spray rack has beenreached by the towing mechanism 15 orother driving or pushing means employed, the car bumper 19 contacts the flexible doors 120 and 121, or curtain control as the case may be, and the door 120 actuates the standard pressure valve 105 to cause it to relieve pressure on the diaphragm 112 of the conventional Hytrol valve 40, permitting water to pass through the valve as shown in Fig. 6 and thence to the spraying nozzles asf'already described.

If the car is an open to one, or if a car is dry and the spray rackfor these or'some other reason should not be operated, by turning the handle 103 of the valve 102 to closed position will prevent the spray from operating, although the controls be functioning just the same.

When the U-shaped spray rack is once filled with water it will remain so and unless some jar moves the rack, the vacuum in the feed pipe 'will keep the nozzles from dripping even though the level of the water in the nozzles be above the shut-ofi valves 84. This particular spray, owing to its'peculiarconstruction, saves about 65% of the water when compared with other devices used for the same purpose.

The doors 120- and 121 co-operate with the V-shaped vided with a valve closure element. and forming a part of the conduit. for the passage; of liquid through said vertical pipes for washing the cars, said check valves each having a lateral outlet below the valve closure element opening into the space defined by said inverted U spray rack, and a spray nozzle screwed into each said outlet, said nozzles each having a plurality of apertures through which the liquid supplied by said spray rack is sprayed. onto. the cars being washed by the. apparatus.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 and the nozzles screwed into the vertical limbs of the U rack each having their apertures disposed above the level of the valve element of the. check valve supplying liquid to them.

3:. The subject matter of claim. 1 and the first liquid supplied aperture in said nozzles being spaced slightly above the valve element of the check valve supplying the liquid thereto. 7

4. The subject matter of claim 1 and means for supplying twosources of liquid mediums to said spray rack formed by said U, one of said mediums supplying liquid to one vertical run forming the U and the other medium supplying liquid to the other vertical run and to the horizontal run of the U.

5. The subject matter of claim 1 and, a T in the horizontal run of the U-shaped rack, and spraying means carried by said T and positioned to spray water at a spaced apart. intervals in said piping and forming portions of the. passage therethrough, said valves allowing only upfiow of water through said piping, and spray nozzles carried by and communicating with said valve casings below the check valves, said spray nozzles being positioned to spray water supplied by said piping onto cars advancing along said trackway.

8. The subject matter of claim 7 and, an upstanding spray plate shield at each side of said trackway, an upstanding, horizontally swingable door operable by the advancing cars, and means operatively connected with said door to turn on and off the spray supplied through said nozzles, said door extending the shielding area afforded by said sprayplate shields;

' 9. The subject matter of claim '7" and, an upstanding spray plate shield at each side of said trackway, valve means carried by said shield at one side of said trackway, an upstanding, horizontally swingable door carried by each said shield at its side of said trackway and operable by the advancing cars, and means operatively connecting one of. said. doors with. said valve. means to automatically turn on and oft the: spray delivered. by said. nozzles, said doorsextending the shielding area afforded by said spray plate. shields.

10. In a car washing. apparatus of the kind. described,

in combination, a trackway for cars to travel along while being washed, upstanding piping bordering each side of said trackway, spray delivery means carried by and communicating with said piping and positioned to direct a cleansing spray of water against cars moving along said trackway, spaced apart check valves in said piping above the spray delivery means, said valves allowing only upflow of water through said piping, valve means comprising horizontally swingable doors to control the supply of water to said piping, means operated by cars advancing along said trackway to open said valve means thus causing said spray delivery means to direct a water spray against. the cars being washed, blowers stationed on opposite sides of said trackway to blow air onto the cars emerging through said doors, and upstanding shield plates positioned to intercept said spray so as to confine it to a predetermined section of the space overlying said trackway to protect workmen working on the car rearward of-the spray rack from spray deflected by said blowers.

11. In a car washing apparatus of the kind described, in combination, a trackway for cars to travel along while being washed, upstanding piping bordering each side of saidv trackway, spray delivery means carried by and communicating with said piping and positioned to direct a cleansing spray of water against cars moving along said trackway, spaced apart check valves in said piping above the spray delivery means, said valves allowing only upflow of water through said piping, valve means to control supply of water to said piping, means comprising horizontally swingable doors operated by cars advancing along said trackway to open said valve means thus causing said spray delivery means to direct a water spray against the cars being washed, blowers stationed on opposite sides of said trackway to blow air onto the cars emerging through said doors, and an upstanding hood which is V-shaped in plan stationed at each side of said trackway and including within its angle the spray delivery means at its side of said trackway to protect workmen working on the car rearward of the spray rack from spray deflected by said blowers.

12. In a spraying apparatus of the kind described, an upstanding water supply pipe, a plurality of spaced check valves, each of said check valves having a casing within the upper portion of which is a valve chamber which forms apart of the passage through said pipe, there being an upwardly facing valve seat surface underlying said valve chamber, said valve casing having a downward extension below said valve seat surface provided with a horizontally directed outlet portion and having below said outlet portion a screwthreaded aperture into which is screwed the portion of said upstanding pipe below said check valve casing, and a nozzle attached to said outlet portion and therethrough communicating with 4 each of said valve casings and pipe, each of said spray nozzles having spraying apertures located at a higher level than said valve seating surface.

13'. The subject matter of claim 12 and each of said nozzles being arcuate with a shank portion connected to said outlet portion.

' 14. In an automatic car spraying apparatus, a spray rack comprising vertical and. horizontal joined together pipes simulating an inverted rectangular U of such a size as to provide through it a.passageway for cars being Washed, spray delivery means carried by and communicating with said vertical and horizontal pipes and positioned to deliver spray into the space bounded by said rectangular U, therebeing a corner portion of said rectangular U which is unoccupied by said spray delivery means, and a plug in the pipe at each end of said unoccupied. space to prevent entrance of water thereinto.

15. In. an automatic can spraying apparatus, an up standing water supply pipe, a plurality of check. valves. spaced along said pipe, each of said-check valves. having a. casingprovidedinternally with an upwardly facing having a tubular portion which projects upwardly above said valve seat and which is provided with an upwardly and downwardly extending series of spray outlets, the lowermost of said outlets being at a higher level than said valve seat.

16. The subject matter of claim 15 and said spray outlets of said upwardly projecting tubular nozzle portion all being located in the side thereof which is farthest from said check valve.

17. The subject matter of claim 15 and said upwardly projecting nozzle portion being arcuate with its convex side directed away from said check valve, and said spray outlets being located in said convex side portion of said nozzle.

18. In an automatic car spraying apparatus, a trackway for cars to travel along while being washed, upstanding piping bordering each side of said trackway, spaced apart check valves interposed at spaced apart intervals in said piping and including valve casings which form portions of the passage therethrough, said valves allowing only upflow of water through said piping, and spray nozzles communicating with said piping below the check valves, said spray nozzles being positioned to spray water supplied by said piping onto cars advancing along said trackway.

19. In a spraying apparatus of the kind described, an upstanding water supply pipe, a plurality of spaced check valves, each of said check valves having a casing within the upper portion of which is a valve chamber which forms a part of the passage through said pipe, there being an upwardly facing valve seat surface underlying said valve chamber, said valve casing having a downward extension below said valve seat surface provided with a nozzle having spraying apertures located at a higher level than said valve seat surface, said valve casing having below said outlet portion a screw threaded aperture into which is screwed a portion of said upstanding pipe below said check valve casing.

20. In an automatic car spraying apparatus, a trackway for cars to travel along while being washed, upstand- 7 ing piping bordering each side of said trackway, a plurality of spray nozzles disposed at spaced intervals along said piping and connected therewith, a check valve con nected with each of said spray nozzles to prevent drainage of water therefrom, said spray'nozzles being positioned to spray water supplied by said piping onto cars advancing along said trackway.

21. The subject matter of claim 20, said piping comprising vertical and horizontal pipes forming an inverted U of such size as to provide through it a passageway for cars being washed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,057,388 Mackin Oct. 13, 1936 2,465,562 Hopper et al Mar. 29, 1949 2,607,628 Jones Aug. 19, 1952 2,621,077 Pieroni Dec. 9, 1952 2,660,744 Cockrell Dec. 1, 1953 

